Nancy’s Chicago Pizza – Midtown, nestled at 265 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, should consider a rebranding operation ASAP. The name “Nancy’s” should carries the weight of expectations for authentic Chicago-style pizza, but alas, what we experienced here was nothing short of a pizza horror story. Our journey to this establishment was prompted by a barrage of recommendations from native Atlanteans, and boy, do we regret taking their advice—and our wallets concur!
Our order? The Chicago pizza adorned with pepperoni and Italian sausage. In my quest for the perfect Chicago-style pie, I’ve been fortunate enough to sample slices from a standout Black owned spot in the Windy City called William’s Inn. It’s become my gold standard for evaluating this iconic pizza style across the nation. Regrettably, Nancy’s missed the mark on every front.
First and foremost, let’s talk about the pièce de résistance of any Chicago-style pizza: the crust. Ah, that glorious, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust. Chicago pizza enthusiasts wax poetic about it for a reason. However, Nancy’s rendition left much to be desired. The crust was shockingly cold, rigid, and, dare I say it, had all the telltale signs of a deep freeze. Instead of the lusciously butter-rich, bready delight I was expecting, I encountered a crust with the textural appeal of cardboard and a taste reminiscent of freezer burn. It’s as if the crust had been through a blizzard and lost its way.
Now, onto the cheese – the glue that holds it all together, right? Not quite. At Nancy’s, the cheese was playing hard to get. It congealed in some areas, refusing to participate in the desirable cheese pull we all love to see. The sauce didn’t do much to save the day either. It had a sharp, almost sour acidity that overpowered the entire pie, drowning out any hopes of balance.
As if these missteps weren’t enough, the contents of our pizza decided to stage a grand escape. Toppings slid off the pizza dough like they had better places to be, leaving behind a barren, unevenly cooked landscape. It was like a pizza desert, with sporadic oases of uncooked dough that you could scrape off with ease. If this is what they consider Chicago-style, then I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
In summary, Nancy’s Chicago Pizza – Midtown needs to ditch the “Nasty Nancy” brand and embark on a journey to discover their own unique recipes. Perhaps they should consider reaching out to the folks at William’s Inn for some pointers and potential partnerships. Because as things stand, this place is far from earning my culinary seal of approval.
If you happen to find yourself in the Atlanta area, by all means, give them a whirl and let us know if your taste buds have a different opinion. As for us, it was a space that left us longing for the genuine Chicago experience. You can contact them at (404) 881-0111, but proceed with caution.
